Effect of Consuming Maize Infested With Fusarium Mycetes Upon The Follicular Pool in Gilts

摘要

Maize utilized in combined fodder fed to 80 young sow aged 4 months meant for reproduction and displaying clinic signs of hyperestrogenism, was checked for mycological content. The examination has revealed a large load with mycetes of genus Fusarium (200-5400 thousand UFC/g). The clinical examination showed genital infantilism, tumefaction in the vulva, an exaggerate development of the mammary chain with conspicuous mammillary tumefaction. The histopathological examination displayed an extremely intense ovarian activity with numerous follicles in all stages of development but no yellow body, demonstrating that no follicle has reached ovulation. They finalize through follicular atresia a phenomenon which could engulf follicles in any stage of development. The absence of ovulation is due to intense-, persistent estrogenic effect induced by mycotoxins produced by genus Fusarium (zearalenone) resulting in running out from the follicular reserve within very short space of time in the very young animals, thus practically compromising them from reproduction point of view.